The
first Airbus A400M tactical airlifter for Germany runs its engines

The
first Airbus A400M new generation airlifter for the German Air
Force has begun final tests towards its delivery. The four engines
on the aircraft, known as MSN18, were successfully run simultaneously
for the first time on 28 September at the Airbus Defence and Space
Final Assembly Line in Seville, Spain.

Kongsberg
to start flight tests of its new Joint Strike Missile in 2015

Kongsberg
is reportedly set to start flight testing of its new joint strike
missile (JSM) aboard a Lockheed Martin-built F-16 Fighting Falcon
aircraft in 2015. Capable of attacking land and sea-based targets,
the long-range missile is being developed to arm the Royal Norwegian
Air Force's (RoNAF) fleet of 52 F-35A conventional take-off and
landing aircraft.

The
US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale
to Thailand for UH-72A Lakota Helicopters and associated equipment,
parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of
$89 million. The principal contractor will be EADS North America
in Herndon, Virginia.

Bangladesh
Air Force on Saturday, September 27, has inducted to its fleet
four K-8W fighting/training aircrafts bought from China. The Inter
Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) says those were bought
as part of the government’s effort to modernise Bangladi
air force.

To
increase its military defenses in the South China Sea, the Indonesian
government is preparing to establish an F16 fighter jet squadron
in Pekanbaru, Riau Islands, and an Apache helicopter squadron
near the South China Sea. Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo
Yusgiantoro said the government had decided upon the measure to
safeguard Asia’s largest gas field exploration at Riau Islands’
East Natuna field, formerly known as the Natuna-D Alpha block,
which is set for development in the near future.

The
Irkutsk Aviation Plant will launch in 2015 two samples of the
light Yak-152 trainer, local news agency said on Saturday, September
27. Developed by Yakovlev Design Bureau, which is part of the
Irkut Corporation, the new trainer is destined for primary pilot
preparation. The "flying desk" will be tested in 2016,
after which it will go into serial production. For initial training,
the Yak-152 plans to use flight professionals from russian air
force academies.

The
United States has reported additional military shipments to Lebanon.
Officials said the U.S. military oversaw the delivery of air-to-ground
missiles to the Lebanese military. The officials identified the
missiles as the AGM-114 Hellfire, meant to be deployed on light
aircraft for the Lebanese Air Force.

Sierra
Nevada & Embraer Roll-Out First U.S. Built A-29 Super Tucano for USAF
LAS Program

Sierra
Nevada Corporation and Embraer Defense & Security yesterday,
September 25, presented the first United States-built A-29 Super
Tucano light air support aircraft in a roll-out ceremony with
the U.S. Air Force and government officials, industry and community
representatives, and news media.

The
Brazilian aerospace company Embraer Defense & Security has
released the last picture of the first prototype of its KC-390
military airlifter and aerial refueling. The KC-390 program is
at a turning point, the first flight of the aircraft is expected
within a month. The aircraft is designed to replace the aged C-130
Hercules.

Pratt
& Whitney and the Pentagon are expected to select a planned
fix to the F-35 fighter jet's engine by the end of October, a
senior company executive said Thursday. Engineers
have identified two potential remedies to prevent a repeat of
the fire that broke out on a test jet in June, which temporarily
grounded the fleet and still threatens to derail plans to have
the plane combat ready for the U.S. Marine Corps next July.

Textron
Systems Weapon & Sensor Systems, a Textron Inc. business,
announced yesterday, September 23, a pair of successful live-fire
demonstrations of its new Fury lightweight precision guided glide
weapon off of a Shadow® Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System
at the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.

South
Korea will buy 40 F-35A fighter jets from Lockheed Martin for
about $7 billion in the country's biggest-ever weapons purchase
aimed at coping with North Korea's military threats, officials
said Wednesday, September 24. South Korea agreed to the purchase
of F-35A jets in March and has since been negotiating with Bethesda,
Maryland-based Lockheed Martin over a price, technology transfer
and other matters.

In
a ceremony held yesterday at the Thai Police Aviation Division,
the Royal Thai Police (RTP) received its first of two Airbus Helicopters
AS365 N3+ that were ordered between 2012 and 2013. Configured
for search and rescue (SAR) missions, the AS365 N3+ is outfitted
with equipment including electrical hoist, rappelling installation,
cargo sling and search lights.

A
team of US Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen launched an
unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile yesterday,
September 23, at 7:45 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time from Vandenberg
Air Force Base, California. The ICBM's reentry vehicle, which
contained a telemetry package used for operational testing, traveled
approximately 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall
Islands.

U.S.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke by phone with Egyptian counterpart
Sedki Sobhi Saturday, September 20, confirming that the United
States will deliver 10 Apache helicopters to Egypt to support
its counterterrorism efforts.

The
first Airbus A400M new generation airlifter for the Royal Malaysian
Air Force is rapidly taking shape at the Airbus Defence and Space
final assembly line in Seville, Spain. All the fully equipped
major sections including the wing, tailplane, cockpit, fuselage
and landing-gear have been joined ready for ground-testing.

According
to Flightglobal, Azerbaijan-based unmanned air vehicle firm Azad
Systems may soon begin manufacturing the Israeli-developed Orbiter
3. Azad was established in 2011 with assistance from Aeronautics
Defense Systems, one of Israel's leading unmanned air system manufacturers.
It is considered a joint venture with the Azerbaijani government,
and Aeronautics has an option to acquire 50% of shares.